Storage and retrieval system

ABSTRACT

This invention is an oblique fork or channel parallel moving transfer system especially for lift or stacker vehicles for storage and retrieval of containers such as automobile parking pallets, racks, parts boxes, etc. on storage shelves, platforms or racks including those having a plurality of tiers for storing the containers. It can serve as a parking garage, warehouse or other storage-retrieval system. The lift vehicle has a lift or fork bed with one or more oblique channels or forks extended to engage a line of rollers or cooperating slide member on the container to move the container out from the tier and support it when the vehicle is engaged and moved parallel to the facing side of the tier. The vehicle lifts and lowers and rolls along an aisle for transfer to and from racks on either or both sides. Two cooperating lifts columns are at opposite corners farthest from the channel for transfer clearance to and from either side. End loading ramps extend over the end of the stacker for end loading of a pallet with vehicles. The lift bed or forks can be mounted on a lift truck supported from one or both ends along one side to transfer when operated parallel along an aisle.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 60/553,271 filed Mar. 15, 2004, which is incorporated herein byreference.

This invention is a continuation-in-part of my pending U.S. applicationSer. No. 10/663,293 and relates to my U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,652,214 issuedNov. 25, 2003 and 6,695,561 issued Feb. 24, 2004.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is an application of my drive-by transfer to lift trucks.This invention combines an oblique channel transfer platform with astacker or lift truck especially suited for warehouse storage andretrieval of racks, pallets, parts boxes, or other containers. Theresult is a reduction of aisle space needed, since the drive-by transfereliminates need for transverse travel of forks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

At present forks are extended from an aisle to a side to go underpallets to lift them and back out. My improvement eliminates this andreduces aisle width to the width of the container plus clearance byeliminating the need to turn a stacker in the aisle even while servingboth sides of the aisle.

While lift trucks are available with forks turned 90° to a side and thatmove out to that side and back to eliminate turning of the stacker toserve only one side of an aisle, that type is considered complex andrequires stopping in alignment for operation of the fork. It is anobject to eliminate that mechanism and simplify for similar applicationsand further to be able to transfer to either side of an aisle withoutturning around.

The motion of my lift truck for transfer is straight along the aislepast a storage rack where a container is thereby transferred in or outaccording to the direction of travel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object to provide fast transfer to or from storage by providingtransfer while moving steadily in either direction.

It is an object to reduce the width of warehouse aisles.

It is an object to provide a lift truck with platform for this paralleltransfer along either or both sides of the aisle without turning thevehicle to transfer along different sides of the aisle.

It is a further object to have open access above the pallet on thestacker to use a crane to load the pallet on the stacker. An end liftelevator for each end of the lift platform, preferably at diagonallyopposite corners of the platform, provides overhead clearance and allsides access.

It is an object to provide loading-unloading vehicle ramps at each endof travel of the stacker for drive on-off loading of the pallet on thestacker.

It is an object to provide a simplified, dependable, low cost stackerthat does not need an attendant at the storage rack location fortransfer.

It is an object to provide latches that release the pallet when engagedby the lift platform for transfer from the rack.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

These other and further objects should be evident to those skilled inthe art by studying this specification with reference to theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are respectively plan and side views of a parking garageor warehouse aisle with storage racks along both sides of the aisle withthe stacker therein between the storage racks and end drive on-offloading ramps at ends of the aisle.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are plan and side views of the far edge of a pallet on thestacker moving to the right engaging a tab arm on the pallet with anempty rack to transfer the pallet to the rack.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a pallet.

FIG. 6 is an end elevation view of FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are respectively plan and side views of the stacker.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are respectively plan and side views of the platform onthe stacker moving to the left to transfer the container in FIG. 9 ontothe platform.

FIG. 11 is an end view in the direction of arrow 11 in FIG. 9 to largerscale.

FIG. 12 is a side view of the end of the oblique channel extended on thestacker to transfer a container thereto at a larger scale.

FIG. 13 is a section on line 13-13 of FIG. 9 to larger scale.

FIG. 14 is a plan view of a variation of the load platform moving to theleft engaging a container for transfer thereto.

FIG. 15 is an end elevation of the pallet on lines 15-15 of FIG. 14showing an extended fixed cam roller arm.

FIG. 16 is a side view on line 16-16 of FIG. 14.

FIG. 17 is a plan view of the end of the storage rack with container onthe stacker being moved to the right to transfer thereto.

FIG. 18 is a side elevation of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is an elevation on line 19-19 of FIG. 14.

FIGS. 20-22 are respectively plan, front, and side views of a variationof cam roller arm found in FIG. 14 to larger scale.

FIGS. 23 and 24 are respectively aligned plan and side views of apreferred rotary lifting latch on the pallet of FIG. 14.

FIG. 25 is a partial bottom view of FIG. 24.

FIGS. 26 and 27 are elevation views on lines 26-27 of FIG. 23 withrespectively the latch lifted and lowered.

FIG. 28 is a section on line 28-28 of FIG. 26 to larger scale.

FIGS. 29 and 30 are respectively plan and front elevations of avariation of the cam transfer arm of FIGS. 23-28.

FIG. 31 is a section on line 31-31 of FIG. 29 with arm extended.

FIGS. 32 and 33 are respectively side and bottom views of anothervariation of the transfer arm.

FIGS. 34 and 35 are respectively plan and side views of an oblique forkon a lift truck moving to the left about to engage a container with thefork.

FIG. 36 is an oblique view of the container of FIGS. 34 and 35.

FIGS. 37 and 38 are partial end elevations of the container beingengaged by the forks of FIGS. 34 and 35 to larger scale.

FIG. 39 is a plan view of a container with two oblique channel tunneltubes.

FIGS. 40, 41, and 42 are respectively plan, side, and end views of atwo-column loader with load fork with portion of the container of FIG.39 in phantom.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1-13, containers orpallets 20 are stored on racks or shelves 22 that face along either orboth sides of aisle 24 along which stacker 26 runs to place and retrievethe containers.

The stacker has a drop center frame 28, FIGS. 2 and 8, generallyrectangular in plan supported on wheels 30 to run along aisle 24. A liftcolumn 32 is secured extending up vertically from two diagonallyopposite corners of its drop center. The arm 76 extended up to be turneddown by a pallet on the rack. Lever 76 extends down below shaft 74 withweight 78 to normally hold the lever upright and the tab extended. Whenthe pallet enters the rack from the aisle it turns lever 76 downrotating sprocket 72 to pull tongue 70 in so the stacker will not try toput a pallet in a loaded rack. Arm 64, FIG. 19, is lifted by cam 80 onthe rack to swing up past vertical to stay up and remain up forretrieval so as not to reenter a rack until after the arm 64 is resetout.

Referring to FIGS. 9-13, ends of oblique runner, I-beam 56, extend outfrom pallet 20 engage channel 54 when extended on the lift platform fromeither side. Channel 54, FIG. 13, has a tubular rectangular innerchannel 82 with top slotted open central to capture runner 56 to slidetherein. Channel 82 is slip-fit between holding channels 84 and 85 andpositioned along these holding channels by rack and pinion gearing 88driven by gearmotor 89 to extend out either end of channel 54 to engagethe oblique I-beam runner 56 on the bottom of pallet 20 to engage andpull the pallet out of the rack onto the platform when moving along theaisle at the correct height.

Inner channel 82 has a scoop 90, FIG. 12, at each end to lift latch 57before entering into channel 54 to unlatch the pallet from the rackbefore pulling it onto the stacker. The web of channel 82 at the scoopslopes down on the end to lift latch 57 and recesses into a pocket 91 inthe platform when retracted by gearmotor 89. The leading leg of channel82 is bent around and extended down along the side of the stacker has alift platform 34 which runs up and down on the vertical track on columns32. The two diametrically opposite corners of platform 34 at columns 32have a vertical tracking member 36 secured to the platform with shoes orrollers 38 engaged to travel the vertical track of column 32, FIGS. 9and 10. A chain or cable 40 is connected to the top of each member 36and run up and over a sprocket 42 at the top of the vertical column anddown to a lifting device 44 coordinated to lift and lower the platformlevel. The stacker is driven or moved along the aisle in eitherdirection by any suitable means such as cable drive 46. The platform isstopped and held at the correct levels for transfer by any suitablecontrols. The racks have angle slides or roller ways 50 turned bottomlegs in to support the pallets to slide or roll in and out or slip fitbetween these angle supports which can have sliding faces with plasticwear strips or coating for low friction.

The ground level tier of berths can be accessed for drive on-off vehicleloading of the pallets, or a ramp 52 at each end of the aisle can beprovided for loading and unloading of a pallet when on the loadplatform. The ends of the stacker run under rams 52, as shown for theleft end in FIGS. 1 and 2, to bring a pallet on the stacker to the ramp.

Platform 34 has one or more oblique transfer channels 54 secured on topand extended out beyond the sides of the platform each to engage andguide an oblique runner 56 secured across the bottom of pallet 20 at theoblique angle. Runners 56 are I-shaped in section with end latchsections 57 hinged on pins 58 to droop and latch over a catch 59 on therack to hold the pallet in until lifted by the transfer channel 54. Theends 57 of runners 56 are cut tapered parallel to the side of the palletso the coupling overlap can be small to engage with channel 54 whenextended a small amount. Transfer channels 54 are run at preferably45-50° from the sides and in the direction toward the corners oppositethe lift tracks 36 so the pallet can travel the oblique channel off andon from either side while remaining parallel to the platform. Parallelsupporting rails 62, also on the oblique angle, are secured on top ofthe platform to support the pallet to slide or roll thereon.

The pallet has a transfer starter arm 64 with roller arm 66 near the twoopposite comers farthest from the runners or runner 56. Arms 64 aremounted on longitudinal pins 67 in pockets 68 to swing up as in FIGS. 5and 11 and down as in FIGS. 3 and 6 to extend their rollers 66 below thepallet in line to engage the inner edge of the support track 50 on therack for the pallet. Arms 64 are set back from diagonally oppositeleading corners, those near columns 32, to clear member 36 and columns32 so the pallet can be transferred to or from either side withoutshortening the pallet or lengthening the stacker.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, and 6, arm 64 is pushed down before the palletis sent to an empty rack. The rack has a tongue or tab 70 extended toengage roller 66 when the rack is empty to push the pallet back off fromthe platform and into the rack. Tab 70 slides out and in along ahorizontal slot and is moved by a sprocket 72 having teeth engaging inholes along tab 70. Sprocket 72 is secured on shaft 74 with a leverplatform, and the rear leg of channel 82 extends straight to push tongue57 after it is lifted by the slope web of the channel. The top and webof tongues 57 are cut back to increase clearance to clear under thehorizontal entry tabs 70 on racks 22.

The platform 34 has latches 94, FIGS. 9, 11, 16 and 17, for catching onopposite ends of the pallet when centered on the platform to prevent thepallet from sliding off either side until an arm 64 is lowered fortransfer and engaged with a tab 70 at an empty berth to push the pallethard enough to depress the latch to let the pallet pass to the rack.

Operation

An empty pallet on stacker 26 in FIG. 1 is in position for receiving aload such as auto A driven up ramp 52 onto pallet 20 on stacker 26 untilits end wheels drop into shallow pockets 96 to hold it. Arm 64 islowered to the far side of the aisle for the rack to be put in an emptyrack on that side of the aisle. The stacker is moved along the aisle andits platform set to a height to engage arm 64 with an empty rack (onewith tab 70 extended). When arm 64 meets a tab 70 the pallet is heldwhile the stacker continues to travel to the right pushing the palletonto the aligned rack. To put the pallet in a near-side rack, theopposite arm 64 is lowered before leaving the loading ramp and thestacker driven to the right and then back to an empty berth where thearm's roller 66 engages a tab 70. To retrieve a stored pallet, gearmotor89 shifts channel 82 out to the side to engage the hinge tongue 57 onthe pallet and the stacker driven to lift the tongue, unlatching it andentering it into channel 82. Channel 82 pushes on runner 56 pulling outthe pallet from the rack over end latch 94 and onto the platform untilclear of the rack moving until stopped by the end latch 94 on thetrailing end.

Variations

Like parts are given the same number or suffixed where modified.

Referring to FIGS. 14-22, the preferred pallet 20A has bottom cleared ofI-beam runner 56. Pallet 20A has two transfer arms 102 or 102A hingedmounted along each transfer side. Arm 102, FIG. 15, and arm 102A, FIGS.20-22, are each mounted on a longitudinal pin 104 between pillow blocks106 recessed into the top of the pallet to be lifted up to stay up pastvertical or lowered to extend out for transfer. Each arm 102 or 102A hasa cam roller 108 on pin 109 depending from its outer end each to alignin one of two spaced apart parallel oblique channels 54 which run acrossthe top of lift platform 34A in the same direction as and replacing theone on platform 34. The arms when extended hold rollers 108 to aligneach in a channel 54 which runs to guide the pallet parallel inalignment on the platform. Arm 102A has an integral latch 110 dependingbetween pin 104 and roller 108 to engage a catch 59 on the front of therack.

Channels 54 are secured obliquely across the top of platform 20A andhave inner extendable or telescoping channels 82 with end ramps 90aligning to engage and lift rollers 108 together to unlatch the palletfrom the rack and pull rollers 108 into both channels 54 simultaneously.The stacker, racks, and pallets are otherwise as described in FIGS. 1-3.Operation is similar except the inner channels 82 lift both rollers 108simultaneously instead of just one channel lifting one tongue 57.

Referring to FIGS. 23-28 for details of the preferred transfer arm 102Aapplied to pallet 20A, the arm has a vertical integral pivot tube 114with a steep internal spiral spline with a latch pin rod 115 with anexternal spline slip-fit in the internal spiral spline. Tube 114 extendsslip-fit through a housing or pallet 20A and has a threaded collar 116supporting arm 102B to revolve horizontally below the pallet. Latch rod115 slides up and down through arm 102B, tube 114, and housing 117secured to the top of the pallet. A vertical key slot in rod 115 isengaged by pin 118 through the housing 117 to limit vertical travel ofand prevent rotation of rod 115, FIGS. 26-28. Arm 102B is a slot runnerpivoted on its threaded latch rod 115 to turn horizontally and extendsto support a cam roller 108 on each end to engage in channel 54 comingat it from front or rear. The two rollers 108 hold alignment of the armwith channels 54 during transfer. When arm 102B is engaged by a channel54 it is turned out into alignment in the channel, lifting its latch pinto release the pallet for transfer. Pin 119 extends up from arm 102B toengage the front of the pallet in retracted position of the arm.

A variation of the arm 102C, shown in FIGS. 29-31, is a runner to travelthe open top slot in channel 54 and has a pivot latch pin 115C extendingtherethrough. Pin 115C has a steep external spiral spline extending upthrough housing 117C with internal spline to slip fit with pin 115C toturn with arm 102C and lift both the latch and arm when engaged fromfront or rear by a channel 54. Latch pin 115C is supported on a ledge inhousing 117C and has a wide slot engaged by pin 118 secured in a hole inhousing 117C to limit vertical and angular movement of the arm. Arm 102Cis pivoted off center between end cam rollers 108. The shorter length ofarm extends back to enter a channel 54 coming from behind. Latch pin115C is the arm's pivot shaft secured to turn with the arm and rotatesthe arm as it drops to retracted position, FIGS. 29 and 30. Rotation ofarm 102C is limited by pin 118 to about 45° from the position in FIG. 29out from the pallet to align its rollers 108 to the oblique angle ofchannels 54, lifting the arm and latch on its spline to enter a channel54.

Referring to FIGS. 32 and 33 for another variation of arm 102, arm 102Dis longer to guide pallet 20 along a channel 54. Arm 102D partiallyextends into channel 54 to be a slot runner extended out from its pivotspiral lift post 115D and extends above and beyond the runner part tothe forward roller 108. Arm 102D has a second optional roller 108 on itspivot to align in channel 54. The outer extension of arm 102D runs abovechannel 54 so the arm can turn into alignment before its runner fullyengages into the channel slot. Arm 102D is a lift arm similar to arm102C and rotates by gravity to the position of FIG. 33 after eachtransfer to latch its roller on its pivot behind a catch 59.

Referring to FIGS. 34-35, pallet 20E has a rectangular top plate 120 andaligned bottom plate 121 connected by a diagonal rectangular tube 122and an open space between corner supports 124. A standard fork lifttruck LT has an oblique fork

Referring to FIGS. 39-42, stacker 26F can have one or more lift columns32 on one side and a fork platform 34F with two parallel oblique forks54F each to enter a parallel oblique tube 122F on pallet 20F to enterand pull the container onto the forks. Lift platform 34F has one or morevertical columns 36 each to run on a column 32 to be lifted and loweredin the usual way.

If necessary these stackers can be stabilized from tipping sideways byretractable rail wheels 140 to support it on rails 144 along the aisle,and/or by gyroscope 146, or by an overhead track 148, FIGS. 1 and 2. Theforce of pushing a pallet into a rack is in part countered by the loadbeing moved off center on the platform, causing a force in the oppositedirection. These stackers do not extend a load all the way lifted off tothe side but rest the load on the rack during most of the transfer, allbut when the pallet is nearly centered on the platform. The racks shouldbe braced against sideways forces the stacker could offer.

Having thus described some embodiments and applications of my inventionthese are not intended as a limitation on the scope of this inventionwhich is intended to cover all variations, applications, and partswithin its true spirit and scope. 34E replacing its straight forks. Fork34E has a main tine 54E positioned horizontally obliquely for guidinginto tube 122 and a side fork 62E parallel to the oblique fork on eachside all run together on the near side forming a horizontal platform34E. Platform 34E has vertical arms 36E for fitting in the standard liftmembers of the fork truck with a standard lift arrangement. Pallet 20Eis supported on a low friction plastic extrusion 50E secured to the rackor floor along each end to guide its in and out movements.

To pick up the container 20E with fork platform 34E moving to the leftin FIGS. 34 and 35, center tang 54E enters tube 122, lifting the palletas in FIGS. 37-38 to unlatch it before pushing against the far wall oftube 122, pulling the pallet straight out onto fork 34E. To place thecontainer in its berth, fork 34E is moved to the right at a height tocatch the right-hand bottom edge of pallet 20E on the strip 50E, whichholds it as the fork is pulled to the right lengthwise the berth,leaving the pallet as in FIG. 24. Fork trucks so equipped can load andreturn pallets 20E from racks 22 along either side of the aisleaccording to the direction the fork truck is turned to run along theaisle.

Referring to FIG. 36 the pallet can be stackable with a frame 20E′ toprotect the load and be self stackable. Strips 50E″ run straight acrossthe bottom in from the ends and strips 50E′ along the ends at the topall secured on frame 20E′ to key the pallets together lengthwise. Pallet20E′ is otherwise like 20E having tube 122 with an open entry for theengaging tang 54E of fork 34E to enter as in FIGS. 37 and 38.

1. In combination: a lift truck having a lift platform, said platform having at least one oblique transfer way secured to and extending out on said platform having an extended outer end, a pallet having guide means for traveling aligned on and along said oblique transfer way, storage ways for supporting and guiding said pallet to travel at right angles to travel of said lift truck in passing said storage ways, said guided means having lift latch means for running along said oblique transfer way, said latch means being pivotally mounted to be lifted by being engaged by horizontal movement of said transfer way against said guided means before being pulled out along said storage ways onto said platform.
 2. A combination as in claim 1, said lift latch means being a tongue hinged to the end of said guided means on said pallet to be lifted to release said pallet for transfer.
 3. In a combination as in claim 1, said oblique transfer way having an incline plane scoop at its outer end, said latch means being a transfer arm hinged to droop on said platform to be lifted by said incline scoop to release (unlatch) said pallet from said storage ways for transfer.
 4. In a combination as in claim 1, said lift latch means being the pallet having a top member, said transfer way being an oblique fork on said platform with tapered end an inclined plane for lifting said pallet to unlatch it before transfer.
 5. In combination as in claim 1, said lift latch means being a cam roller arm for engaging in and running said transfer way, said arm having a hinge pivot on which it is mounted to swing up and down a little at one end that extends out along one side of the pallet with a cam roller on its outer end depending on a substantially vertical axis below the pallet to engage in said transfer way, and a catch depending from said arm between said hinge pivot and said roller to catch on said storage ways to hold said pallet from moving off the transfer side of the storage ways until said roller is lifted by said oblique transfer way for transfer of the pallet to the platform.
 6. A fork for mounting on a fork lift truck and a pallet for cooperating therewith, said fork having tangs run at an oblique angle from the front and one side toward the other side of the fork truck forming a platform for said pallet, said pallet having top and bottom members and an oblique tunnel between running obliquely between sides on said angle open ended for said fork to enter and pull said pallet onto said fork when moved along with fork side to said pallet.
 7. A fork and pallet as in claim 6 and pallet guides for supporting ends of said pallet to move straight therealong, the first tang of said fork to enter said tunnel being tapered to lift said pallet before entering said tunnel, and catch means which the pallet is so lifted to clear before transfer to said fork.
 8. In a combination as in claim 1, said guide means being a runner secured across the bottom of said pallet for aligning with said transfer way, said guide means being ends on said runner hinged to droop and latch on said storage ways, said oblique transfer way being a channel having extended and sloped down on the end to lift an end of said runner and to unlatch the pallet from the storage ways before pulling it out along the storage ways onto said platform.
 9. In a combination as in claim 1 an extendable tab on said storage ways and means to extend said tab to indicate said support is empty, a push-off arm mounted on said pallet to extend out to engage said tab only when also extended to push said pallet back on and off of said platform aligned onto empty said storage ways.
 10. In a combination as in claim 1, said guided means being a runner secured across the bottom of said pallet for aligning and travel on said oblique transfer way, hinged ends on said runner to droop and latch on said support, said oblique transfer way being a channel having an extended end sloped down on the end to lift the drooped end to unlatch the pallet from the storage ways before pulling it out onto said platform.
 11. In a combination as in claim 9, an end stop latch on each end of said platform to stop the pallet therebetween, each said stop latch being weighted to operate by gravity to yield when the pallet is forced back by a said tab.
 12. In a combination as in claim 1 and a vacant storage spot indicator and control comprising an extendable tab with rack and gear means for extending said tab, a lever weighted substantially vertical pivotally mounted secured to said gear means to rotate therewith and be engaged by said pallet on said storage ways to turn said lever to turn said gear means to retract said tab when said pallet is occupying said storage ways, said indicator being extended to control (call for) entry of a said container onto said storage ways.
 13. In a combination as in claim 1, said outer end of said transfer way having an inclined plane scoop, said latch means being mounted to swing up and down, down by gravity, on an axis when engaging and disengaging the incline plane of said scoop to respectively unlatch and latch said pallet on said storage ways.
 14. In a combination as in claim 1, said guided means including a transfer arm, said latch means including a vertical latch pin, means for holding said latch pin from rotation on said pallet, said transfer arm being mounted to revolve on said latch pin, said arm and pin being steeply spirally keyed slip-fit together to lift said latch pin when said arm is rotated, the extended outer end of said transfer way engaging said arm to rotate it to lift said latch pin before pulling said arm into said transfer way.
 15. In a combination as in claim 1, said lift latch means being a transfer arm having cam means for engaging in said oblique transfer way and a pivot sleeve with internal lift screw spline secured integral to said arm upright, a latch pin having a spline mating slip fit in said sleeve on which said arm is secured to rotate through an acute angle between latched (extended) position and lifted (released) position of said latch pin, said pin being lifted by this rotary turning of said arm whereby said arm lifts said latch when turned out by said cam means engaging in said oblique transfer channel.
 16. An arm as in claim 15, said latch pin being liftable to unlatched position independent of the rotary position of said arm end with tapered bottom end so as to lift to latch even when the arm is stationary.
 17. A rotary lift latch for side transfer coupling of a container with a berth for said container, said latch including a cam arm pivotally mounted on a vertical axis to said container, a steep ramp spline on said axis for lifting said arm when rotated out from said container to an angle for transfer, latch means on said arm lifted by rotation of said arm to unlatch before the arm pulls the container.
 18. In a combination as in claim 1 said guided means being at least one channel run at an oblique angle across the bottom of said pallet.
 19. A container storage system as in claim 1, said lift truck being a container stacker having a drop-center frame, a lift platform, said lift column at diagonally opposite corners of the drop center frame, providing a vertical lift for said lift platform mounted between said columns to be lifted substantially level thereon, said guide means being oblique transfer channel means secured obliquely across its top, an aisle for said stacker to operate along, at least one pallet, a rack having said storage ways for storing said pallet along each side of said aisle, said pallet having said guide means to move parallelly across said platform guided on said channel means and second guide means to guide said pallet straight sideways into and out of said rack on either side of said aisle, starter arm means on diagonally opposite corners of said pallet extendable to engage said rack to push said pallet from said platform onto said rack, and means for extending said channel means for selectively engaging said pallet to transfer to said stacker from either side of said aisle, said pallet being free to be passed across said platform to a rack on either side. 